47 Ronin Festival in Kyoto

47 Ronin Festival in Yamashina, Kyoto. On December 14, 1702 47 masterless samurai (ronin) took their vengeance on their late master's enemy, Kira Yoshinaka and entered in the annals of samurai legends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzH-gE8XUfo

Oishi Kuranosuke was the chamberlain of the Ako region. It was expected that he might take revenge when his lord had to commit seppuku (ritual suicide). Instead Oishi moved to Yamashina near Kyoto and pretended to live a life of a wastrel with geisha and attending kabuki something a high-ranking samurai should never do.

Oishi's deception payed off when spies sent to watch him came to think of Oishi as just a drunk debaucher and so they relaxed their guard.

Oishi stole away to Edo (Tokyo) to enact the revenge of the 47 Ronin.

Asano Naganori was the lord of Ako and he was given the task by the Shogunate to meet with Emissaries from the Imperial Court in the Spring of 1701. To do so, he had to learn the intricate ceremonial customs from the Master of Ceremonies, Kira Yoshinaka.

Kira expected bribes for his services and when Asano refused to comply, Kira insulted him often until Asano could take no more and in a rage attacked Kira in the halls of the Shogun castle.

The punishment for drawing a weapon in the Shogun's castle was immediate seppuku. In addition Ako land was confiscated from his family and his samurai retainers were rendered employed - ronin.

Asano's only regret was that he had failed to kill Kira (and not all the people put out by his rash action).

47 of Asano's samurai formed a band to enact revenge on Kira who was not punished for goading Asano and through their actions get the Ako domain returned to the Asano clan.
On December 14, 1702 the 47 Ronin attacked Kira mansion killing 16 and wounding 22 before finding Kira. He was offered the chance to commit seppuku which was seen as a samurai's right and way to keep his honor. Kira refused and was killed with the same blade Asano used in his seppuku.

Kira's head was taken to Asano's grave at Sengakuji - a temple in the Shinagawa area.

The authorities were in a conundrum. The Ronin had broken the law and they had not pursued a vendetta in the proper way so they could be executed as common criminals.One Ronin was sent back to Ako to tell the news of their success. The other 46 turned themselves in to the authorities.

The authorities were in a conundrum. The Ronin had broken the law and they had not pursued a vendetta in the proper way so they could be executed as common criminals. Following the code of Bushido which was seen as somewhat rare for the time, the Ronin become popular heroes. It was eventually decided they would have to die but were allowed the honor of seppuku so they could die as samurai.

46 of the Ronin died in 1703 and the remaining one was pardoned when he returned to Edo. Their legacy continues to this day with countless depictions in kabuki, bunraku (puppet play), books, TV drama, and movies.